


i could live by the light in your eyes

by melodypond_thewomanwhomarriedme



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Christmas on Darillium, F/M, Fluff, Post-Episode: 2015 Xmas The Husbands of River Song, Tiny Angst, a little cracky, a little smut, merry christmas guys!!!!, river goes around kissing people under the mistletoe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-27 01:17:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17152592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melodypond_thewomanwhomarriedme/pseuds/melodypond_thewomanwhomarriedme
Summary: Hehehe merry christmas!!! Hope you like the gift, Elliot!!!Story title from ‘I Choose You’ by Sara Bareilles





	i could live by the light in your eyes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [undodgedbullet](https://archiveofourown.org/users/undodgedbullet/gifts).



> Hehehe merry christmas!!! Hope you like the gift, Elliot!!!
> 
> Story title from ‘I Choose You’ by Sara Bareilles

The Doctor definitely knows how to wake a girl up on Christmas.

They’re now exactly halfway into their stay at Darillium, and River can sense that the Doctor is all too aware of the ticking clock - ticking far too fast for both of them, but not even they can stop time. River can see it in his eyes - sometimes she catches him studying her from afar when he doesn’t know she’s looking, or when they’re in bed, kissing each other lightly, he’ll take her face in his hands and let his eyes travel over her like he’s already forgotten what she looks like. Every time she sees that look on her face her hearts lurch in her chest, and she has to take a deep breath and remind herself - twelve more years. Twelve more years with him.

There’s an urgent desperation in the way he kisses her on their twelfth Christmas in Darillium. The way he swipes his tongue across her lips and into her mouth like he doesn’t ever want to forget her taste; how his fingers bury themselves deeply in her hair like they’ve made a home there, on her head; how he presses his forehead to hers and tugs her closer under the sheets as if their time is already up.

But she pushes the thought to the back of her mind as she looks up at him.

“Happy Christmas, Doctor.” she whispers to him, reaching a hand up to stroke his cheek gently. He leans into her touch, closing his eyes as he presses more of him into her palm.

“Happy Christmas, River.” he whispers back. He takes the hand on his cheek and presses a kiss to her palm, his lips grazing her skin lightly and saying softly against it, “I love you.”

“You have that look in your eyes again.” she says sadly, her thumb swiping across the crow’s feet at the corner of his eyes before looking directly at him. “We have time, my love.”

 _But never enough._ That’s what he wants to say. That’s what he’s always been saying, ever since they first met - never enough time when it comes to River. They’ve spent almost their entire marriage chasing each other across the galaxies, and now, even when they’re settling down, there isn’t much time left.

“That’s all that matters,” he says softly to her, nodding. “I know.”

“I love you,” she says, leaning up to kiss him. “So very much, Doctor.”

“I know that too,” he says, and for the first time since he woke up, he smiles at her gently. “Lucky me.”

She chuckles a little, tilting her head to the side. He’s been saying that a lot lately, too - about how lucky he is to have her. His last body wasn’t quite so openly sappy - not everyday, anyway. She’s still getting used to this strong, grumpy body spewing words of love and devotion on a daily - if not hourly - basis.

“You are such a sap,” she teases.

“Can’t tell anyone, or I might have to kill you.” he teases back.

She raises an eyebrow, her fingers sneaking beneath his shirt and trailing up his torso. “You wouldn’t. Who else would you cook for?”

The Doctor puts on a thoughtful look as his hand reaches below the sheets to grasp her thigh, pulling her leg around his waist. “Good point. I guess I’ll just have to find some other way to silence you, then.”

“Oh?” River asks, as her other hand plays with the band of his boxers. “And what did you have in mind?”

His answer is lost in the kiss that he presses to her lips.

*

The annual Darillium Christmas Gala that the town hosts is a big event among the locals. Everyone is there - the baker, the barista, even the grumpy little goblin that lurks around in the library all day can be found, dressed to the nines. There really isn’t a point to any of it - it’s just a chance to mingle around and talk.

Of course, the Doctor hates it.

River doesn’t. Any incentive to dress up is good enough for her, and since the Doctor can’t really deny her anything, they go every single year and leave just as they’re close to getting kicked out.

The Doctor wears the same suit every year, much to River’s annoyance. But the Doctor knows that no one will look at him as long as River is standing beside him, so he doesn’t bother. River looks the best every year - he can say that truthfully, without any bias at all. Well, maybe a little.

This year, River dons a cherry red floor-length gown that shows off her cleavage much too well. Her hair is up, her neck bare except a fine chain with an emerald nestled on her chest - a gift he got her some Christmases ago. Her heels are high and strappy, and as she shows off her dress for his approval he has to physically stop himself from reaching out to touch her.

“What do you think?” she asks, placing her hands on her waist.

“Beautiful.” he says simply, smiling up at her. “Always beautiful.”

“Darling, you know just what to say to a girl.” she laughs, grabbing her clutch and taking his hand in hers. “Let’s go.”

They’re fashionably late to the party, as usual. River chats and mingles with everyone, dazzling every creature with her beauty and charm. The Doctor stays by her side for a while before abandoning her to her friends and standing in the corner, sipping a cup of the god-awful punch that he’s pretty sure is more alcohol than fruit. He keeps an eye out for his wife for a little before sighing and turning his eye towards the dancefloor, keeping himself entertained by watching various dancing couples trod on each other’s feet and wince painfully. Not that he could do any better, of course, but he isn’t the one to make the idiotic decision to dance when he so clearly can’t.

He smiles at a woman who approaches the sulking library goblin and asks to dance. The goblin is taken by such surprise, but is obviously delighted to be asked, and as they walk towards the dancefloor, the goblin is already moving his hips to the music.

His eyes travel farther down, to an arch where mistletoes are hanging off the top. There’s a long line of men, women and creatures queueing up for something. Curiosity piqued, the Doctor sets his drink down on a nearby table and approaches the line, cutting to the front to see what the fuss is all about.

He has an inkling when he hears a group of women talking about a goddess in red, and he’s proven right when he sees River standing under the mistletoe, giving very enthusiastic kisses to everyone waiting. She grabs the face of the next one in line and leans down, giving her the most passionate kiss he’s ever seen - and he feels a little indignation shoot through him, followed by jealousy.

Before River can get to the next one in line, she catches his eye, and he glares pointedly at her. She merely smiles and winks at him before kissing a goblin so hard that the little pointed elf’s hat on his head becomes lopsided.

“Alright, that’s enough kissing over here!” The Doctor cuts in, glaring at everyone.

“Oh, come on man, wait in line!” shouts one woman.

“I’m her _husband_.”

“And?”

“Everyone go back to the damn party.” The Doctor shouts, no room for argument in his voice. The crowd disperses and grumbles in annoyance as they go back to the dancefloor, and the Doctor turns back to River.

She lifts a shoulder in a nonchalant shrug. “I was just having a little fun, darling.”

“We agreed you weren’t going to do that this year.”

“Ooops.” she says, completely unapologetically. She approaches him and reaches out for his tie, playing with the knot on his neck. “Does this mean that I’ll be punished?”

“Oh, you definitely will, you bad, bad girl.” he whispers, grasping her waist tightly and tugging her closer. “Just you wait till we get home.”

“Oh, but that’s so long from now,” she pouts, fingers tracing his collar delicately. “I’m ready to learn my lesson now, Doctor.”

His eyes darkens deliciously and she smirks up at him, knowing that he’ll agree - he’s never been good at saying no to her. Without waiting for a response, she pulls on his tie and captures his lips with hers, her hands immediately going to the fly on his trousers.

He pulls back at once. “ _River_! There are people here.”

“That’s part of the fun, sweetie.” she says, as he pushes her hands away.

He glances around and spots a dark corner not far from where they’re standing, and he takes her hand and pulls her towards it. “Come, sweetheart.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Oh, I intend to.”

The dirty joke puts a smirk on his lips and makes him more eager for her, quickening his pace and pushing her roughly against a wall. Her hands go back to work on his zipper as he fusses with her skirts, finally finding the hem of her dress and pulling it up around her waist.

“Keep quiet.” he says to her, as he lifts her leg up onto his shoulder.

Her arms wrap themselves around his neck and she braces herself against the wall, her head thumping back quietly as she waits for him to enter her. It’s fast and frantic, quiet moans and sighs and whimpers filling the air around them as he moves his hips quickly against hers. He captures her lips and bites down on her bottom lip when he comes inside her, his fingers fumbling again so that he can find her clit and rub it roughly.

She comes with a quiet sigh, head thumping back against the wall. He smiles down at her and kisses her again.

“You do this every year.” he scolds her, panting.

“You enjoy this every year.” she shoots back.

“We can always just stay home and do this, you know.”

“Where’s the fun in that?”

He captures her lips again in a fast, desperate kiss - and suddenly, there’s a sound and they’re surrounded in light. There are a mixture of catcalls and gasps from the party, and the Doctor turns his head to see what the commotion is - only to see that everyone is staring at them. He turns back to River, mildly scandalised.

“Fuck, I forgot they’re having a karaoke contest this year.” River swears. “Quickly, Doctor.”

“My God!” the event’s organiser shouts, staring wide-eyed in disgust at them. “Security! Throw them out once and for all!”

“Hurry, Doctor, run!”

She takes his hand and pulls, and he follows, because he always does. And he always will.


End file.
